The Rhythm of the Falling Rain
by SupremeCommanderSimon609
Summary: Song Fic. Ichigo thinks about Rukia as he walks in a park. Kind of angsty, but it's still good nonetheless! Takes place just before the Lost Agent Arc begins, during the seventeen month timeskip.


The Rhythm of the Falling Rain

**Hello again. Here's a one-shot that I put together, taking place just before the Lost Agent Arc begins. Kind of angsty, but I guarantee this fic will be good! I just found out that you cannot use copyrighted lyrics, so just look up "Rhythm of the Rain" by the Cascades if you want to read the lyrics. I recommend that you play the song while you read this. You don't have to, but the song does fit this story very well! Enjoy and please review!**

Ichigo was silently walking down a quiet street, the setting sun illuminating the sky overhead. There were dark storm clouds beginning to gather, however, Ichigo was in no hurry to get home. He did not mind the rain at all, as it seemed to reflect the loneliness in his heart that had been eating away at him for the past seventeen months. It had been that long since he had said his goodbyes to Rukia, though he could remember it just like it was yesterday. He kept telling himself that being depressed about it would not be the right thing to do, but he knew he was just lying to himself. He felt as if there was a hole in his heart, one that had been there ever since their parting. He tried to keep his mind off of Rukia, trying to bury himself in schoolwork and his job, but those could only keep his mind occupied for so long. He'd lain awake countless nights, thinking if she was doing the same. His friends, especially Chad, had begun to notice something was wrong, but he would just blow them off and tell them that it was nothing.

Ichigo continued walking down the street, the rain beginning to fall. Still walking at a leisurely pace, he came upon the entrance to a large park, and, seeing that no one happened to be nearby, he started walking down one of the paths inside the park. As he continued walking, the rain began to really pick up, quickly turning into a steady downpour. Ichigo, not minding getting wet though not wanting to get sick, spotted a huge tree, the tree looking as if it had been there for hundreds of years. He quickly made his way over to the tree and sat down on the grass, not minding sitting there since it was dry. As he leaned back against it, images of Rukia started to appear in his mind. He recalled the first time they met, almost two years ago. He remembered how she gave him her powers, which had enabled him to defeat the hollow. He then recalled their most recent encounter, which was also their last. He felt as if he had lost a part of himself that day, a part that he would never get back. He remembered her tear-stained eyes, and how she had slowly faded away. He wished that he could hold her, to finally kiss her on those sweet lips of hers, but he knew that if he did, he probably would have even more trouble forgetting her than he did now.

Ichigo, trying to fight back the tears in his eyes, heard crunching behind him. He got up to see who was there, and saw someone begin to run further into the park.

"Hey, wait a minute, stop!" Ichigo called out, but the person kept on running. He quickly took off after this mysterious person, wanting to find out who had been spying on him. As he was running to catch up, he noticed that the person he was chasing was small, kind of like how Rukia was. Then it hit him.

'_Am I seeing things, or could this person actually be Rukia?! This should be impossible! I can't see ghosts or spirits anymore, so I shouldn't be able to see Rukia either! But she did say that she could still see me. Maybe it's having an effect on me as well.'_

When he caught up to this person, he noticed that it was indeed Rukia. The short, raven hair and small frame had given it away.

"Rukia?" Ichigo questioned, not believing his eyes.

She turned around, and Ichigo noticed that her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying recently. But she smiled at him and tried to mask her sadness.

"Ichigo, how have you been? I've noticed that you've been very down since we last saw each other. Is something wrong?"

"You better believe there's something wrong! I've been feeling lousy and depressed for the past seventeen months, and you know what, I've had it! I should've told you how I felt then, but I just wasn't sure how to put it. But now, after all this time, I feel so broken hearted and empty inside and you have the nerve to know how I felt back then and you did nothing about! How could you be so cruel?"

"Ichigo, I still don't know how I feel either. I know I feel something for you, but I just don't know if it's love or something else."

"What the hell else could it be but love?! I've felt horrible for so long, and now that I can see you again, I need to know how you truly feel."

"Well, to be honest, I think I do love you, Ichigo. I've felt it ever since I met you, but it's grown stronger over the past two years, and now every second that I spend away from you I come close to breaking down."

"That's exactly how I've been feeling."

Ichigo then stepped closer to Rukia, but, as he tried to put an arm around her waist, she was gone, like she had never even been there.

Ichigo, confused and heartbroken as to what just happened, fell down to his knees and cried out her name up towards the rain-filled sky.

"RUKIA!"

Ichigo then awoke with a start, noticing that he had fallen asleep next to the giant tree.

'_It was all just a dream? But it felt so, real.' _ Ichigo then let out a cry of agony and despair, punching the tree next to him as hard as he could.

Ichigo then leaned against the tree, stuffing his hands deep inside his pockets. He wondered why he had fallen in love with Rukia. Maybe it was because of their special bond, the way that they could get through anything and nothing could stop them. Or maybe it was because of her mysterious beauty, how she could outshine everyone in that regard. He truly did not know. The only thing that he knew for sure was that he needed to get his mind off of her soon or else he would go insane.

Ichigo then got up and, not knowing where to go, began to journey deeper into this mysterious park that he had never visited or had even noticed before in Karakura Town. As he continued walking, the rain continued to soak him thoroughly, though he didn't really care anymore. He felt as if he should forget about Rukia. Maybe that would cure his broken spirit. But he knew that, deep down, he couldn't forget about the person he loved more than anyone else. The only thing that would cure him now would being able to see Rukia one more time, just to let her know how he felt. But he knew that that was impossible without his Soul Reaper powers, and, unless he ran into someone who had them, which was highly unlikely, he knew that he'd never see her again.

Ichigo then stopped his walk and ducked under a tree again to get dry.

"Am I meant to be alone?" Ichigo asked aloud to nothing and no one in particular.

Ichigo received no response, knowing that he was alone in this part of the park. He then stepped away from the tree that he was leaning against and started walking yet again, even though the rain never stopped its steady downpour.

Ichigo then passed by the same tree that he had saw Rukia at in his dream and, unable to bear the sight anymore, he continued walking on, heading towards his home. He wished in his heart, though, that he was walking through the gate to the Soul Society to see Rukia one last time.

As Ichigo finally arrived home after his long walk, thoroughly soaked to the skin, he was determined to see Rukia again, even though that prospect seemed impossible to him.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Karakura Town, a man by the name of Kugo Ginjo was sitting on the couch at the Xcution's hideout, waiting for Yukio's return. He had told him to follow Ichigo and then report back to him. As if on cue, Yukio then walked in, walking up to Ginjo to tell him what had transpired.

"So Yukio, how did it go?" Ginjo asked, wondering if the time was right to implement his plan.

"It went well. Ichigo seemed to be very saddened about someone named "Rukia". He even called out her name while he was sleeping under a tree."

"Hmm, interesting. This might be the perfect time to offer him training to get his Soul Reaper powers back. He'll most likely deny that he'll want his powers back just to see Rukia again, but I plan to give him a different reason to get his powers back."

**So what did everyone think? I know that "Rhythm of the Rain" is an old tune, but I thought that it would fit this fic perfectly. Please leave a review to let me know how I did and if anyone wants a sequel to this fic! Happy Valentine's Day in advance!**


End file.
